What stands out worked out from the figures below

Worcester has the most people working from home (11.5%).

Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Worcester	Lawrence
People
Population	207,055Highest	88,736Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.9±0.5Highest 15% below MA	32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA
	Worcester and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13.3%±0.6Highest MA: 17.9%	10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,102±$2kHighest 33% below MA	$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA	$415,200±$23kHighest 26% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA	$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,733Highest 21% below MA	$3,422Lowest 43% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Lawrence and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.6%Highest MA: 10%	17.6%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Highest 13 yrs older than MA	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 17% below MA	23 minLowest 21% below MA
Work from home	11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6%	6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#266 of 282 in MA	#278 of 282 in MA
School district	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester	Lawrence
High school in town	South High Community	Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	13.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.